Abstract

IRURITA-BALLESTEROS, Carolina; FALCAO, Deusivania Vieira da Silva; ROCINHOLI, Luciene de Fátima  and  LANDEIRA-FERNANDEZ, J.. Maternal mental health and social support: influences in infant development during the first two years of life. Contextos Clínic [online]. 2019, vol.12, n.2, pp. 451-475. ISSN 1983-3482.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4013/ctc.2019.122.04.

This single case study (mother-child dyad), based on the bioecological model of Bronfenbrenner, aimed to investigate indicators of maternal mental health and social support received during the gestational and post-partum period on child development during the first two years of life. Clinical interviews and mental health assessments were performed by the mother using the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Edinburgh Posnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Mini International Neuropsychiatry Interview (M.I.N.I) at one point of each gestational trimester and fourty five days after delivery; in addition, the child completed three neurodevelopmental assessment with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III (BSID III) throughout the first and second year of life. It was verified that mother exhibited depressive symptoms during the first trimester of pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Traits of anxiety and fragile social support were detected during all gestational trimesters and post-partum as well. Results showed that the earlier a child is exposed to maternal depression and poor social support, the higher the vulnerability to risk factors that might affect development.

Keywords : mother-child relationship; maternal mental health; infant development.

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